Method and apparatus for disclosure of personal information

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for the disclosure of medical test results or other medical or personal information, with features to maintain the security of the physician-patient relationship. An elongated card having a center portion and opposite, separable wing portions is supplied to the testing physician with patient information encoded on the center section. The physician records the pertinent medical information or test results by severing one of the wing portions to indicate the appropriate information by the presence of the remaining wing portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of identifying an individual with a condition comprising the steps of: producing an information recording and disclosing device comprising a card of unitary construction, including a center section and at least one pair of oppositely disposed disclosure sections whereby personal confidential subscriber information may be recorded by the removal of one of the disclosure sections so that the personal confidential subscriber information is indicated by the remaining disclosure section; printing or embossing neutral information on the pair of disclosure sections one of which must relate to the individual's condition on said device,   removing one disclosure section on said device to indicate the condition of the individual, and using said device by the individual to disclose said condition to others.     
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein said production and printing or embossing of said device is performed by a vendor. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein said device is transferred to said sponsor after printing or embossing. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 3 wherein said removing of one disclosure section is performed by said sponsor. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 4 wherein said device is transferred to a subscriber. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1 wherein said sponsor is a physician, said subscriber is a patient and said condition relates to the medical condition of the patient. 
     
     
       7. An information recording and disclosing device comprising a card of unitary construction which has at least three sections, including: a first center section adapted to contain personal information and evaluation information, said first section having personal information indicia and evaluation indicia preprinted thereon;   at least two other sections which indicate differing results of the evaluation, at least a first of said sections having one result of the evaluation preprinted thereon, and at least a second of said sections having another result of the evaluation preprinted thereon, each of said sections being removable, whereby the removal of at least one of said sections indicates personal confidential subscriber information by irreversibly converting said card to indicate a single result of the evaluation.   
     
     
       8. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 7 wherein each of said information disclosure sections bears an indication disclosing a desired piece of information. 
     
     
       9. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 7 wherein each of said information disclosure sections bears an information legend explaining the desired piece of information. 
     
     
       10. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 7 wherein each of said information disclosure sections is color coded so that said information is readily discernable. 
     
     
       11. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 7 wherein said card is activated by the removal of at least one of a plurality of disclosure sections whereby said personal subscriber information is indicated on said card by the presence of at least one remaining disclosure section. 
     
     
       12. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 11 wherein said card is a substantially rectangular card having a center section and a pair of lateral, severable, information disclosure sections, whereby the removal of one of said sections along a line separating said section from said center section results in a mutilated information reporting card of standard credit card size. 
     
     
       13. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 11 wherein said card measures approximately 21/8 inches by 33/8 inches after activation by said sponsor. 
     
     
       14. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 7 wherein said card is of substantially rectangular shape and includes two pairs of oppositely disposed information disclosure sections, each of said pairs including information disclosure indicators appearing at opposite sides of the face of said card. 
     
     
       15. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 14 wherein removal of one section of each of said pairs of information disclosure sections results in a card having a rectangular shape. 
     
     
       16. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 15 wherein removal of one section of each of said pairs of informtion disclosure sections results in a card 21/8 inches by 33/8 inches. 
     
     
       17. An information recording and disclosing device as in claim 7 including a holographic configuration imprinted on said center section thereof. 
     
     
       18. A method of reporting personal confidential subscriber and personal subscriber information comprising the steps of: producing an information recording and disclosing device comprising a card of unitary construction, including a center section containing preprinted indicia and at least one pair of oppositely disposed disclosure sections whereby personal confidential subscriber information may be recorded by the removal of one of the disclosure sections so that the personal confidential subscriber information is indicated by the remaining disclosure section;   printing or embossing personal subscriber information and neutral information on said device, and   removing one disclosure on said device to indicate personal confidential subscriber information.   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 wherein said production and printing or embossing of said device is performed by a vendor. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 18 wherein said device is transferred to said sponsor after printing or embossing. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20 wherein said removing of one disclosure section is performed by said sponsor. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21 wherein said device is transferred to a subscriber. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 18 wherein said sponsor is a physician, said subscriber is a patient and said personal subscriber information and personal confidential subscriber information relate to the medical condition of the patient.